Death used to be a taboo subject, but this generation is confronting the issue with remarkable frankness and conviction. Discussion about the fragility of life, once the realm of melancholic poets, now regularly gets addressed in pop culture everywhere from the Harry Potter series to Kesha’s brazen pop song “Die Young.” Social media also makes confronting death easier than ever—online memorial sites and bereavement communities create collective spaces where grief is a shared experience.

Why Plan Cremation Ahead of Time?

With mortality in our collective consciousness, it’s no surprise that funeral and cremation planning is a popular choice for families across North America. In fact, a growing number of people are opting to plan end-of-life services ahead of time for a number of reasons, including:

• Lower costs. Cremation preplanning gives you the option to prepay for services through a life insurance plan or trust fund. Choosing prepayment lets you lock in current rates before they increase, relieving your family’s finances.
• Financial planning. Everyone plans for the future, and end-of-life arranging should be just another part of your financial planning. Knowing how much cremation services cost allows you to create a payment schedule and set aside a budget to help your family.
• Personalization and customization. Planning ahead means you’re able to specify final wishes so your family doesn’t have to make difficult decisions while grieving. A new trend for cremation services is customization. Families are able to customize a cremation with a number of additions like memorial services, post-cremation burials, scattering services, custom keepsakes or urns, memorial plaques, and a host of other possibilities.
• Reducing the burden on family members. The biggest advantage of cremation preplanning is that it allows young people to relieve family members of having to sort out a host of details during a difficult time. Compared to the stress and frustration of planning in the dark and paying an unplanned cost, planning ahead of time is the best decision and offers families peace of mind.

Use a Cremation Planning Service
In addition to funeral homes, a number of direct cremation providers exist to help families through the planning process, finalize a cremation plan, and arrange services. These providers are staffed with knowledgeable experts who answer questions about cremation and provider free cost quotes, as well as customize a service to meet your needs and budget. Speak with cremation providers in your local area about cremation options and related prices.